


Welcome to the Battlefront Paranormal Investigation Society

by StormyMonday



Category: Angel Beats!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horror, Alternate Universe - Supernatural, Angst, Eventual Romance, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-10-13
Updated: 2015-03-11
Packaged: 2017-11-16 06:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/536274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormyMonday/pseuds/StormyMonday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The members of the Battlefront Paranormal Investigation Society were seemingly normal teenagers whose fascination with the afterlife was dismissed as childish fantasy. The founding members knew better, however. While investigating an old mansion, the team encounters something terrifying and unravels a deadly mystery that spans well outside the home's dilapidated grounds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Mission Briefing

**Author's Note:**

> I have accepted yet another challenge issued by the ever-awesome darkin520, one of the mods at The Reviews Lounge, Too. Aren't you just ecstatic? ;D Initially I wasn't sure if I could put this together in time, or at all, but then I started filing through the cabinet in my head labeled “Useless Knowledge of the Paranormal”, and voila! I'm confident that if it weren't for Angel Beats (and just in case you're wondering, I haven't seen The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya in quite some time, and probably wouldn't write this for it even if I could remember any of it), this fic wouldn't exist. I mean, it's pretty much impossible for me to think up a Halloween fic for Gundam Wing or 00 because, you know, war and peace and mobile suits. Not exactly fun holiday material. So far, I am having a great time writing this, so I hope that everyone enjoys it whether or not they know the fandom. Finally, while I would have liked to include the entire cast, I decided not to simply because I couldn't find a place for everyone. For this chapter just imagine that everyone is at the briefing even though they are going to be background characters.

The light from the large flat screen cast a deep shadow over the room as Yuri watched the other Battlefront members file into the room and take their customary positions. It was well into the wee hours of the morning; the streets were void of traffic, and local businesses would remain closed for at least the next three hours. Yuri herself was wide awake, acutely aware that her subordinates were quite unhappy that she had called on them at such an ungodly hour. Once all her soldiers were present and accounted for, the green eyed girl stood and rounded to the opposite side of the desk, her computer remote in hand. In short order, she provided a brief history of the location, as well as a list of supposed unexplained occurrences linked to it. “Now that that's out of the way, we'll be splitting into three teams.” Yuri regarded each member as she spoke. “Noda will be going with me, Otonashi will be partnered with Kanade, and...” She put a finger to her lips as she looked to her second in command. “Hinata, your partner will be Yui.” 

Hinata rolled his eyes and looked over at the pinkette. “I wondered what she was doing here. Naturally you'd hand the groupie over to _me._ ” She looked to be nearly asleep, her frame swaying from side to side as gravity threatened to send her crashing to the floor. 

Yuri perched on the edge of her desk. “She's our newest member, and therefore the least experienced. I know I can trust you with her safety.”

“Which is just a flattering way of calling me her babysitter, right?” Hinata sighed, and glanced over at Yui again, whose weight was now shifted entirely on one leg.

Always observant, Otonashi felt compelled to point out the obvious. “I hate to interrupt, but she looks like she's about to.-” He stopped short just as Yui fell. “fall...” 

The instant Yui made contact with the wooden floor, her eyes snapped open. “I'm awake! I'm awake!” She looked around the room, dazed. “Where am I?”

Otonashi gave his blue haired friend a scolding look. Hinata was the closest in proximity to the girl and could have easily caught her. “You know...”

Hinata shrugged. “What?”

Once again, Yuri took control of the conversation. “If the three of you are finished kidding around I'd like to wrap this up.” She paused, and when there was no objection, she continued. “Okay then. Are there any questions?”

Fujimaki spoke first. “We've been over that place with a fine-tooth comb three years in a row, Yurippe. What makes you think we're going to find something this time?”

“I went to the library recently and got a hold of the house's blueprints. It seems that the final design included a hidden panic room.” She clicked a button, and the blueprints appeared on screen. She then highlighted the area where the panic room should be. “ _That's_ what we'll be looking for. Anything else?”

Hinata held out a hand in a dismissive gesture. “So what? Just because it's in the blueprints doesn't mean it was actually included during construction. And more importantly, has everyone forgotten that we were almost arrested last time for trespassing?”

Yuri sent a glance to Noda. “No one would have known we were there if a rat hadn't scared Noda causing him to take out half a wall with his halberd.”

The purple haired teen bristled. “Rats are disease ridden vermin. I was trying to kill it – for the good of all humankind.” He paused. “Besides, I don't understand why that shit hole needs a security guard to begin with. He's hardly ever there, and when he does show up he's passed out drunk in his car.”

Otonashi leaned toward Hinata. “I'm surprised he didn't become unhinged when she called him scared.”

Hinata smirked. “Nah. Noda would never challenge Yurippe. He'd follow her to the ends of the earth no matter what – even if she didn't ask him to.”

Otonashi quirked an eyebrow. “Am I detecting a hint of cynicism in your voice?”

Hinata shook his head. “It's just that they're polar opposites; he's a total moron and she's a genius. Yurippe doesn't see him as anything but one of her soldiers. Pretty sad if you think about it.”

He wouldn't admit it to anyone else, but saying that Yuri was a genius seemed a bit of a stretch in Otonashi's mind. The orange haired teen's brief musings were cut short at the sharp tone of Yuri's voice. He looked up, and she was standing in front of the desk with her hands on her hips.

Yuri gestured to the Student Council's vice president. “Naoi, you have a question?”

The self-taught hypnotist nodded. “If there are only going to be three teams consisting of two people each, why are the rest of us here?” His eyes narrowed. “God does not appreciate being called out of bed in the middle of the night for nothing, you know.”

Yuri eyed the younger boy with a stern look. “Okay first of all, you're not God. That time on the ball field a few weeks back when you were almost struck by lightning should be more than enough proof. Secondly, everyone needs to be briefed on the mission's details in case something happens to our original point teams.”

Otonashi's brows knit together. “Wait, what do you mean 'in case something happens?' Immediately, an image of his own gravestone complete with epitaph popped into his head.

_'Otonashi Yuzuru. He was a nice guy.'_

Yuri tapped another button and initiated the computer's screen saver. “Alright. I think that covers everything – oh, and I expect everyone to come in costume too. It _is_ Halloween, after all. Operation Devil's Night will commence at twenty-one hundred hours next Wednesday night. This meeting of the Battlefront Paranormal Investigation Society is concluded. You are dismissed.”

The others began filing out of the room, but Otonashi remained, stunned at Yuri's casualness while addressing a potentially deadly situation. He blinked at his girlfriend's voice.

Kanade regarded him expectantly. “Are you coming?”

Otonashi nodded and grabbed his coat. “Yeah, I was just...” He glanced back at the now dark flat screen monitor. “...never mind.” 

Kanade and Otonashi left the room together, trailing just behind Hinata. At the sound of a dull thud, Kanade looked over her shoulder just in time to see that Yui, who had likely been asleep during the entire meeting, had run into the room's door frame, and slumped to the floor. Kanade blinked. “Oh dear...”

Otonashi sighed, and went to make sure the pinkette hadn't injured herself. “You probably should have stayed home.”

Kanade nodded in agreement. “We could have easily informed her of the mission details tomorrow.”

Hinata shook his head, and joined his three friends. “Is she okay?”

Otonashi, who would be entering medical school in a matter of months, nodded. “Looks like it.”

With that confirmed, Hinata picked the younger girl up, amazed that the motion hadn't awakened her. “Come on, airhead. Let's get you home.” 

Otonashi looked at his friend as they began walking once again. “Are you sure?”

Hinata verified his actions. “Someone has to make sure she gets home safe. Who knows where she'd end up otherwise.”

Otonashi and Kanade exchanged a meaningful look. The others may have become bored with exploring the old mansion, but something told them both that this time there would be an interesting twist.


	2. Hunters Hunted

Large, ominous storm clouds loomed on the horizon, sporadically silhouetted by very bright and dangerously close lightning strikes. Not coincidentally, the three-story mansion's facade became almost menacing, as if it and the storm had joined forces with the express intent of warning any would-be visitors to keep their distance. 

The five present members of the Battlefront Paranormal Investigation Society stood on the house's rickety front porch awaiting their newest, and latest member, Yui. During the wait, Yuri had decided to inform the others of their designated locations; she and Noda would be exploring the first floor, Otonashi and Kanade the second, with Hinata and Yui being assigned to the third floor and attic. Just as she finished, the team looked off into the distance to see Yui, dressed in a cat costume complete with tail, running up the front walkway. As the girl crossed the remaining distance, Yuri greeted her. “Glad you could make it.”

Panting and bracing her hands on her knees, the pinkette regarded the team leader. “Sorry I'm late! I thought my mom would _never_ leave! She was determined to have the neighbors checking in on me every few hours, but I managed to convince her that she doesn't have to treat me like a baby anymore and that she could trust me while she's out of town.”

Otonashi, who was dressed in business casual and carrying a cane, raised an eyebrow. “In other words, you lied to her.”

Yui nodded emphatically. “You don't really think I'd miss this little adventure do you?” Her enthusiasm effectively masked the tinge of guilt she felt at the orange-haired teen's observation. Yui had spent much of her life in and out of the hospital due to a weakened immune system, and only in the last few years had been successful at fighting off various types of infections. Because of this, Yui's mother had a habit of sheltering the seventeen year old. Dismissing this, Yui looked at Yuri and Kanade. “You two are adorable!”

Kanade, who was dressed in an angel costume adorned with soft, pristine white wings that almost shimmered in the misty air, smiled demurely. “Thank you. Your costume is very cute as well.”

Yuri, whose costume was that of a witch nodded and smiled. “Thanks. The three of us should go shopping sometime. You know, have a little girl time together.”

Kanade nodded in agreement. “That sounds like fun.”

Yui looked the boys over. Noda, obviously dressed as the Grimm Reaper, was wearing a black robe but still carried his trusty halberd instead of the traditional scythe. She scrutinized Hinata and Otonashi much closer, however. “You two aren't very creative, are you?”

Hinata came dressed in his baseball uniform. “Between school and away games I've barely had time to sleep let alone shop for Halloween costumes.”

Yui scoffed. “You could have cut holes in a sheet and thrown it over yourself and it would've been better than coming in clothes you wear almost everyday anyway.” She looked curiously at Otonashi. “And you are...a business man, am I right?”

He shook his head. “House.”

The others looked at him but didn't say anything.

“From the TV show?”

They shook their heads almost in unison.

“He solves all sorts of medical mysteries. Take the pilot episode for instance. No one could figure out what was wrong with the patient until House figured out she'd eaten some under cooked meat and tape worm larvae got into her bloodstream and traveled to her brain.” Otonashi paused, waiting for a response but never got one. He rolled his eyes and waved a hand dismissively. “Never mind.”

Hinata gave his friend a sideways look. “You're really weird, you know that?”

Kanade began rubbing her hands in an attempt to warm them. “The moral of the story is to always use a meat thermometer.”

Yuri held on to the brim of her hat as the wind began to increase in intensity. “Now that our medical, slash cooking lesson is over, we should get going. This place doesn't look like much on the outside, but there's a lot of ground to cover inside. Let's get moving.”

* * *

The three teams parted ways at the foyer's spiral staircase. Yuri assigned Otonashi and Kanade to the house's second floor, Hinata and Yui to the third floor and connecting attic, while she and Noda set out to explore the ground floor. As the two ventured farther away from the entrance, Yuri scanned the surroundings for anything of interest, while Noda watched for anything that could cause either one of them harm. If it moved, he'd kill it, and more importantly in his mind, if it threatened Yuri in any way, shape, form, or fashion he'd kill it twice, or even a thousand times as long as it guaranteed her safety.

At the end of the very long hallway, they came to a large room with even more hallways branching out from several connecting doorways. Yuri looked around mapping the room as best she could in the light of the heavy duty storm lantern she was carrying. The shape of the room was round with each walkway leading to a door. “This definitely wasn't here before.”

Noda shrugged. “Maybe we just missed it.” 

Yuri pulled the downloaded copy of the blueprints up on her phone and shook her head. “There's no way we could have missed it. We came down _this_ same exact hallway the last three times we were here. See?” 

He watched as she traced their previous route with her finger. The rest of the Battlefront generally considered Noda to have much more brawn than brains, but it didn't take a genius to see something was very, very wrong this time around. “So what do you think?”

Yuri considered the question for a moment. “I think...I think we should go back. If we chance going through all that...” she gestured toward the myriad of doors “we might never find our way out.” Just as Yuri finished her assessment, there came a very loud noise, as if a door had slammed shut behind them. They turned sharply, shocked at what they saw, or rather, didn't see; their exit had been sealed, and looked as if there was never a door there to begin with. She walked over to the would-be exit and ran her hand along the spot where the door frame should have been. “It seems to be a solid wall now...”

Her companion surveyed their surroundings, his weapon ready for anything. “I don't like this Yurippe. It feels like we're being lured into a trap.”

Yuri leaned against the wall contemplating their next move. “I see two choices here – the first and most obvious would be to make a new door.” She glanced to her partner's weapon. “The second would be to see if any of those doors might lead us back to the entrance of the house.” She glanced at their second option, and then stepped away from the wall. “Let's try the direct approach first.”

Noda acknowledged this with a disturbing amount of enthusiasm, walked over to where the door used to be, and drove the blade of his halberd into the wood. 

After several well placed swings, Yuri raised a hand signaling to stop. She inspected the damage her companion had inflicted on the wall, and while it was more than sufficient, the structure had not given way as she suspected it would. “I swear, it's like someone came in and remodeled the place since we were here last.” She sighed. “Looks like our fact finding mission has turned into a survival experiment.” 

* * *

Several doors and dead ends later, Yuri and Noda finally found one that didn't have a solid brick wall behind it, or didn't lead to a staircase that ended looking straight up at the ceiling. Still, they had been walking for hours and hadn't found so much as a window to climb out of. Eventually the hallway they had been following began to widen, and at the end of it they could see the entrance to what looked like another very large room. Seemingly out of nowhere, a foul odor began wafting from the room, causing Yuri to cover her nose and mouth with her hands. “Ugh, it smells like something _died in there.”_

Noda said nothing, but kept on guard for what they might encounter as they pressed onward. As he and Yuri neared the doorway up ahead, the smell had become so bad that it was becoming difficult to breathe. 

Suddenly, a rat darted out of the darkness, and was promptly sliced in half by Noda's weapon. His satisfaction turned sharply to horror as the two pieces of the animal fused back together, and then fragmented into a swarm of hundreds. The purple haired teen's blood ran cold as he watched them all scurry back into the darkness as quickly as the one had appeared. His attention was diverted as he saw Yuri fall to her knees. She was clasping her throat as if she were choking. He knelt down and attempted to help the green eyed girl to her feet. “Let's get away from whatever's making that smell.”

Yuri choked, her face becoming red. “It's not...” She gasped desperately trying to take in a breath. “I feel like...”

He watched, once again in horror as unseen hands gripped Yuri's neck like a vice; her eyes glazing over and her lips as well as fingernails turning blue at the lack of oxygen. The girl's body then rose off the ground, and was dropped unceremoniously like a rag doll; limp, lifeless, and completely unresponsive. Panicked, Noda rushed to help Yuri. “Yurippe! Yurippe are can you hear me?!” 

She didn't move.

She didn't speak.

“Yurippe, say something!”


	3. Light and Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've taken some creative liberties with this chapter, mainly in the way of giving Kanade some new powers. This will continue to be the case as the story moves along. That said, suspension of disbelief is a must here.
> 
> Let the games begin! ;-)

Unaware of the events that were transpiring on the floor below, Otonashi and Kanade traversed the vast expanse of the mansion's second tier. This was, by all appearances, where the sleeping accommodations were held, each room with with its own themed décor and personality. So far, the majority had been standard in high society fare; the comforters, pillows, and even window treatments once being of the finest quality silks and fabrics. 

As she and Otonashi surveyed the room for the third time in three years, Kanade gingerly smoothed the edge of the queen sized bed's silk sheets between her thumb and index finger. This room had been her favorite of them all, and each year she imagined how beautiful it must have been all those years ago. The curtains that hung now tattered and worn by the elements gave sparse coverage to a large window overlooking what, at one time was a lovely and serene flower garden whose adornments of statues, trellises and fountains lay broken and crumbling; their beauty now ravaged by the hands of Mother Nature and Father Time. 

Kanade was certain that if there weren't individual spirits inhabiting this place, the house itself had a consciousness of its own – as if it longed for passed days of elegance and grandeur. There was something else though, almost as if the structure had ceased to become inanimate and had become mortally ill. It was an odd thought, but it was very clear to the white-haired girl that there had been a change in the mansion's very identity since she and the others had last visited. Diverting her thoughts, Kanade glanced to the window just in time to see Otonashi focusing his pocket sized video camera. She hurried to his side as obviously he had seen something of interest.

Otonashi acknowledged Kanade but kept the camera trained on an area on the far side of the garden. “Look, over there!” His voice was just above an excited whisper as he pointed to the second floor terrace. 

She blinked in fascination, but yet was not at all surprised. “I wonder who she is...?” Whether or not the apparition would be visible upon playback remained to be seen, but what they both saw was without a doubt a woman. She wore a long, black gown, and was striking in appearance. Kanade stood at Otonashi's side, and watched as the woman gestured, appeared to speak, and then quite literally vanished.

Otonashi rewound the short video he had just taken and was extremely pleased to find the camera had captured the moment as it happened. “If that's not proof I don't know what is.”

Kanade watched the video replay. “It seems as if she was trying to tell us something.”

“Too bad neither of us can read lips.”

Kanade glanced to Otonashi and then back at the camera's screen. “Can you zoom in on her face?”

He nodded and pressed a button. “I think so...”

The white-haired girl peered at the screen closely. “Beware.”

Otonashi blinked. “What?”

Kanade turned to her boyfriend. “That's what she said, beware.”

Otonashi's expression became concerned. “Do you think it means something?”

Kanade looked around the room and then back to the window before answering. “This time I believe it does.”

While it was mutually accepted that the two were tailor made for each other, Otonashi often wondered if he'd ever become accustomed to Kanade's sometimes cryptic mannerisms. A warning such as the one they had received should be self explanatory in most other circumstances. In this one however, he suspected that Kanade knew much more than she was willing to tell him at the time. 

* * *

Some time and several rooms later, Otonashi and Kanade had nearly finished exploring the expansive second floor; their only evidence of paranormal activity being the video of the woman in black. Even so, it would be more than a suitable trophy for the time being, especially having come up empty in their previous visits to the structure. As they approached the remaining room, Otonashi stepped ahead of Kanade, standing in the doorway, glancing around the space to make sure it was safe to enter. When he was certain of the room's relative safety, the orange-haired teen gestured for Kanade to join him. “Well, here we are in the master bedroom once again.”

Kanade stepped inside the room and looked around, her brows furrowing as she did so. “I understand now.”

Otonashi's expression became confused. “Understand what?”

Kanade turned to face him. “The energy in this room has never been like the energy in the rest of the house, and now I finally know why.”

“Because...?”

She walked over to the bed and flattened her palm against the headboard. “The mansion's second owner had this room completely renovated after he bought the house, but didn't spend a single night here.” She paused briefly. “His imprint is in every other room, but in this one it's little more than a flicker.”

Otonashi considered this. “Can't say I blame him. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to sleep in the same room where the original owner was murdered either.”

Kanade shook her head. “It's more than that. It feels like...fear; fear that wasn't just the product of his imagination.” She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. “He tried to stay here, but was forced out.”

“By the first owner?”

Kanade shook her head again. “No.”

Otonashi was still uncertain. “What then?”

She looked at him, an instant of fear flashing in her own eyes. “I'm not sure. Something...else.”

Kanade was the only member of the Battlefront gifted with psychic, as well as telekenetic abilities. Having mastered her gifts long ago, such an expression, however brief, was uncharacteristic. This reason alone gave Otonashi pause. “I say we call it a night then. Yuri and the others should be more than happy with the video. Let's head back.”

She nodded, a mix of relief and apprehension crossing her features.

Otonashi didn't question Kanade any further, instead allowing her to process everything she had seen, heard, and felt during this particular excursion. 

* * *

As the two rounded a corner very near to their destination, Otonashi stopped short startled by a high pitched squeak. He motioned Kanade to stay behind him, and then looked up at the ceiling. His eyes widened at what he saw; seemingly hundreds of tiny red glowing eyes. Before he could react, Otonashi was enshrouded by a colony of ravenous bats. Instinctively, he fell to the floor and pulled his jacket over his head hoping to shield himself from needle-like fangs. His voice was muffled by the heavy fabric and the beating of tiny webbed limbs. “Kanade run! Get out of here!”

The white-haired girl's tone remained calm as she stood firmly in place. “Cover your ears, Yuzuru.”

Hastily, Otonashi put his hands over his ears as Kanade had commanded. Truthfully, he only vaguely remembered she had been working on this particular skill, and wasn't aware she had perfected it. 

Kanade stood straight and focused on the bats. “Howling.” The ultrasonic waves of the Howling skill caused the very walls and ground to vibrate, and as it did so, the girl dressed in an angel costume did not so much as flinch as the bodies of the tiny creature exploded like so many fireworks. Once the ear splitting sound abated, she looked down to find her white costume splattered with bits of bloody fur and gray matter. 

When the commotion stopped and the area fell silent once again, Otonashi crawled out of his improvised hiding space and stood. He looked around at the carnage provided by Howling trying to keep the contents of his stomach where they belonged. “So that's Howling, huh?” 

Kanade nodded. “It seems to be very effective.”

Otonashi raised an eyebrow while absently rubbing his ringing ears. “I'd say that has to be the understatement of the century.” He looked at his jacket and grimaced at the damage. “Dad's gonna kill me.”

“I will have it dry cleaned for you.”

Otonashi shook his head. “That's okay. I'll just say that...” He thought briefly about a valid excuse. “Well, I have no idea what I'll tell him, but that's not important right now. Let's just concentrate on getting the hell out of this place.”

* * *

Otonashi and Kanade pressed on toward the staircase that wound downward to the first floor of the house. Having thrown the soiled jacket over his shoulder, Otonashi winced at the smell of decaying, dismembered bat carcasses. 

Kanade looked apologetic as she kept pace with her beloved. “I'm sorry about the mess.”

He smiled at her warmly. “Don't be sorry. You saved me from being eaten alive by a bunch of bats of all things. Or at least from having to be treated for rabies, which is pretty much a nightmare on its own.”

Kanade was not entirely content with such an answer. “Please continue.”

“Continue with what?”

“What else did you want to say?”

Otonashi sighed. “It's nothing really. I just feel like _I_ should be the one saving _you_ – not that I'd ever _want_ to be in a position where I had to, but..”

Kanade's golden orbs shone in the dim lighting. “You will always be my hero Yuzuru, no matter what.”

Otonashi felt his face become warm at Kanade's words. If they had been there, he was sure the other boys would have teased him for blushing. He started to become very aware that something was amiss when the heat began to grow, threatening to make him sweat. Even stranger was a light coming from the intersecting hallway ahead, punctuated by what sounded like something heavy being dragged across the splintered wooden floor. He and Kanade stopped, and quietly waited, watching as a figure carrying a lantern crossed began to cross into their path. 

As far as Otonashi could tell, the figure looked like an ordinary man who was walking with a slight limp which would account for the dragging sound. Having witnessed first hand the dangers lurking within the mansion, Otonashi was about to call out to the person warning him that it was not safe to be so carelessly traversing these halls, when the figure stopped, turning sharply to face the two teens. 

Kanade stepped back slightly at the sight. What she and Otonashi were facing was not a man, but something very different and much more dangerous. Time seemed to stop as the figure stood stark still, its eyes glowing white hot in the darkness. Without warning, the shadow man began rushing toward the teens, and once again Kanade stepped forward. “Stay behind me, Yuzuru.”

“But...”

Kanade raised her voice uncharacteristically. “I said stay behind me!”

Otonashi continued to protest as he watched his girlfriend stand her ground for a second time, but his efforts were ignored. Indeed they had passed a small room that was once used for linens and the like that had a small, broken window within, but at the time it seemed too small for either of them to climb through so they kept walking toward the staircase. “I really hope you know what you're doing, Kanade.” He worried, knowing that with each skill Kanade exhibited, she expended a large amount of energy, and it was clear to him that eradicating the bats had already taken a heavy toll on the girl. 

The golden eyed girl stared straight into the shadow's fiendish, burning eyes. “Guard Skill: Demon Shield.” With those four words, Kanade's entire being glowed with a blinding blue and white aura. Her arms outstretched and palms forward, she began walking slowly toward the shadow, pushing it back toward the wall in front of her. As she forced the entity back, it gave an unholy scream; something akin to nails on a chalk board, but much louder and considerably more frightening. Intent on defying the shadow's advances, Kanade managed to pin it to the wall, where it screamed one final time and dissipated in a sickly, black cloud. 

Satisfied that she and Otonashi were safe for the time being, Kanade fell to her knees, bracing her palms on the floor and panting heavily.

Panic stricken by the show of immense energy, Otonashi rushed to Kanade's side. “Are you okay?! That thing didn't hurt you did it?!”

She swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing and then shook her head. “I'm fine. Just tired.”

Otonashi smoothed a few strands of silken hair out of Kanade's face as she leaned against his kneeling form. “I'm not surprised. That was really impressive.”

Kanade smiled weakly. “Thank you. The lingering effects should be enough to allow us safe passage out of the house.”

He nodded and proceeded to pick up the weary girl. “That's good to know.”

Kanade frowned as Otonashi began walking. “I can walk.”

Otonashi voice was more stern than was typical. “You can walk when you get your energy back.”

Kanade sighed, closed her eyes and let her head rest on her beloved's chest, her voice trailing off as she did so. “Always...my hero...”

When the incident had finally come to a close, Otonashi was happy that, even in such a small way, he was indeed able to rescue his girlfriend.

* * *

Outside, the angel and TV doctor found Noda seated on the porch with a very exhausted looking Yuri leaning on his shoulder. Otonashi set Kanade on her feet and knelt down next to the green eyed leader of the group. “I'm going to take a wild guess and say it got to you too.” The orange-haired teen tilted Yuri's head back inspecting the still pronounced hand prints on her neck. 

Yuri nodded slightly. “Looks like you two had a run in with it as well.”

Otonashi took a pen light out of his pocket and shined it in Yuri's eyes. “Try and follow the light, Yuri.” Relieved when she was able to do so, he stood and put the device back in his pocket. “Yeah, it was really terrifying. Have you heard anything from Hinata and Yui?”

Yuri closed her eyes and sighed. “No. I hope they're okay. If anything happens to either of them...”

Kanade sat next to her green eyed friend. “They're both strong, and very brave, Yuri. They'll be fine.”

Otonashi agreed. “That's right! In fact, I bet they'll be out any minute.”

Not nearly as optimistic, Noda simply looked off into the darkness of the night. Even with his great strength and a powerful weapon he was unable to keep the entity from nearly killing Yurippe. So, he considered it completely unfathomable that two people without weapons or psychic powers could withstand what the four of them had just gone through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was intense wasn't it? Well, I hope so anyway. I'm not sure how else I could have written it, and I did my best to go heavy on the drama. Also, I feel a little weird about having Noda think...about, well, anything except fighting, but he's in this for now, and I couldn't see him having many speaking parts, so I had him thinking. So, four of six are safely outside. Next to be traumatized are Hinata and Yui. 
> 
> Stay tuned! ;D


	4. Maleficence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, hello there. It's nice to see you again, or if you just discovered this story, welcome to the party! As you can see from the description, I started writing Battlefront in response to a Halloween challenge that was issued by a member of The Reviews Lounge, Too. Since then, a lot has happened, and I was forced to quit writing for quite a long time, but it seems I'm finally making a comeback. 
> 
> Now, there are a few things I want to make note of. The first is, this actually is a semi-reincarnation fan fic. Semi meaning the main cast are all very good friends, but don't have any memories of the (canon) afterlife, but they do have that very comfortable feeling as if they've known each other for a very long time. Another is that, Hinata and Yui are a bit more mature than what you're probably used to. I'll elaborate more on that in later chapters.
> 
> The usual disclaimer and such goes here. Warnings: mentions of a non-descriptive murder/suicide, death of a small child, and spookiness. Because spirits don't rest just because Halloween is over.

* * *

  _[maleficence – noun: 1: the doing of evil or harm, 2: the quality or state of being maleficent or harmful]_

* * *

 

**Maleficence**

Having found little more than a healthy amount of spider webs, and what was surely a thriving population of allergens, Hinata listened with mild annoyance as Yui chattered on about her favorite all girl band's latest release. It wasn't as if he weren't a fan of Girls Dead Monster as well, but it seemed to him that his pink-haired companion's interest in the band members was almost disturbingly obsessive. In fact, it wouldn't have surprised him one bit if the pinkette knew which brand of toothpaste each of them preferred, and why. He knew better than to ask though, as doing so would likely lead to an in depth analysis of the products in relation to the girls who used them.

As Yui continued to rattle on, Hinata sighed and rolled his eyes. Admittedly, it was his own fault for asking what she thought of the band's latest single that had been released just in time for Halloween, but he hadn't realized such a simple question would start the girl in the cat costume to rant on for the better part of an hour. Suddenly, the scent of something sweet caught his attention, causing the blue-haired boy to stop walking and regard the girl with curious suspicion. “Are you wearing perfume?”

Surprised by the abrupt change in subject, Yui blinked and refocused her attention. “Yup! It's called _Magnetism_.” She tilted her head and smiled mischievously. “Is it working?”

Hinata frowned in slight confusion. “What do you mean 'is it working?'

“Well, it's supposed to be infused with human pheromones.”

Hinata's voice held it's usual amount of sarcasm as he turned and resumed walking. “Meaning?”

Yui fell in step beside her companion, and explained. “ _Meaning_ that by the end of the day tomorrow I'll have every guy in school just _begging_ to go out with me.” She quickened her pace and took the lead, turning to face him while walking backwards. “You don't have a problem with that, _do you_?”

Hinata shrugged. "Not unless you want me to."

Suddenly flustered, Yui turned away quickly, hoping her friend hadn't noticed her rapidly flushing cheeks. Her voice threatened to fail her, but she somehow managed a coherent response. "W-Well of course not. I mean, why would I?"

In the brief seconds after her explanation, Hinata had already begun pondering the most likely outcomes of Yui's efforts to attract the opposite sex, none the which he liked. “Well, let's say there really is something to this human pheromone thing; what if you end up attracting the wrong kind of guy?”

Yui's expression turned from pensive to smug as she turned to face him once again. “Maybe that's what I want; the bad boy with a motorcycle and leather jacket and dark sunglasses.” She nodded emphatically. “Yup! That's exactly what I'm going for, the rebel without a clause!”

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

She tilted her head, curious of his unusually sarcastic tone. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you sound jealous of my dream lover.”

Hinata snorted and gave her a sideways glance. “That's crazy. _You're_ crazy. And it's 'rebel without a _cause_ ,' not clause.”

Yui grinned. “You are! You're actually jealous of my imaginary dream lover!”

Again, Hinata stopped abruptly. “Don't call him that. It sounds weird.” He squeezed his eyes shut while shaking his head. "And I am not!” He paused and took in a breath. “It's just that some guys are jerks-'

Yui snorted in a very unladylike-like fashion, and crossed her arms. “You would know.”

Hinata rolled his eyes at this, but continued. “-and I don't want you getting into something you can't handle.” In truth, he worried about Yui more than he'd like to admit. She was smart, and energetic, but at the same time too innocent, and trusting for her own good. Whenever she spoke of such things, Hinata almost felt like he could predict the future, and didn't like what he saw one bit.

Yui's brow furrowed. It was strange that her friend seemed so concerned about a completely hypothetical situation, and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. “You know, you're making a big deal out of nothing. It's not like this motorcycle riding, leather jacket wearing-”

“Chain smoking delinquent.”

“-dream boat is real. I can't just make him _magically_ appear by wishing or something.”

Hinata smirked as the two began walking once again. “Knowing you and your wild imagination, I wouldn't be surprised if this loser _did_ show up one day out of nowhere.” Until that moment, the teen hadn't given any real thought to how he'd feel if Yui broke away from their friendship circle to start dating. Nice guys or bad boys, he was positive he wouldn't be okay with it, not even a little.

As Hinata contemplated being jealous of an imaginary rival, Yui was temporarily lost in thought, as well. For a moment, the plucky little girl in the cat costume was silent, and when she spoke next, her voice was soft, and her words thoughtful. “That's not really what I want.”

Hinata regarded the girl, his expression confused and questioning.

“I want to be with someone that will love _me_ for _me_. We'll spend cold winter nights snuggling by a cozy fire, sharing a nice bottle of wine – nice, but not expensive! - and in the summer we'll go to the beach. And sometimes we'll stay and watch the sun set over the ocean. Then we'll kiss, and maybe if there's no one around-”

Hinata raised a hand hoping to silence the girl before she was able to finish her thought. “I...yeah okay, I get it. You don't have to make it sound like some smutty romance novel.”

Yui huffed. “That's not smutty, it's romantic!”

“I'm not so sure I'd consider getting sand in places I never knew I had romantic.” He paused, pushing the thought from his mind, and began walking. “So you want the whole thing then, the fancy wedding, the house with the white picket fence, and the two point five kids, and optional pet – I'm guessing a dog, is that right?”

Yui smiled brightly, and nodded. “That's right.”

Hinata nodded as well, noting her sincere enthusiasm and idealistic vision, and chose his next words carefully. Unfortunately, what he actually said wasn't nearly as poetic as what he intended. “It's not bad.”

“It's _my_ fantasy, you know. You don't have to-"

“I meant the perfume. It's kinda nice.”

She stopped walking, and stared, shocked at the admission. “You...you like it? Really?”

Hinata stopped as well. "Yeah."

Feeling nervous once again, Yui swallowed hard, trying to suppress the butterflies in her stomach. "So...what's the story on this place? I heard there's a portal in here somewhere. Is that true?"

As the two continued on, Hinata informed Yui of what he and the others had learned during previous investigations. "Maybe. If there is, we haven't found it. Yurippe thinks it's in the panic room."

"That's so _weird_."

"What?"

"The only people I've ever heard of having panic rooms are celebrities and politicians, not normal people."

"It's not that weird if you're convinced your house is trying to kill you."

Yui shook her head, confused. "I don't get it."

"Translation, 'I didn't do my research.' _What_ a surprise."

Yui glanced at her partner sheepishly. "Would you believe me if I said I've been busy with school work?"

" _No_."

"Oh come on, don't be that way. I just forgot." She smiled sweetly. "Forgive me?"

Hinata sighed. "Fine, but if you're going to be a part of the team, you have to promise to do your homework. It's the only way to know who, or what, you might run into."

Yui gave a sincere nod. "I promise."

They rounded a corner, and stopped in the threshold of the first room they came to. Hinata took a small camera from his pocket, snapping pictures of the room in rapid succession, and continued on alongside his friend. "This house has a seriously messed up past for only having two owners."

She looked around as they made their way down yet another hallway. "Only two? How bad can it be?"

"About twenty years ago, a young couple were expecting their first child. The husband was an architect, so he designed their dream home, and had it built here. Everything was going well for the first few years, but the husband started to...change."

"My mom says everyone changes after they get married, especially when they start having children."

"No, change – like he was a totally different person. He was always angry, and started getting really paranoid, eventually accusing his wife of cheating on him."

"Was she?"

Hinata shrugged. "According to their friends and family, no."

"So what happened?"

"Well, one night after she put their little girl to bed, they finally had it out. He stormed off to the garage, and she followed him. When he demanded that she admit to cheating, she denied it just like she always had. And that's when he finally lost it."

At that point, Yui was wringing her hands, wide-eyed "What-what did he do?"

"He grabbed an axe off the wall, and swung it right at her head."

Yui stopped walking, as did her friend. She looked at him, her eyes still wide, and her skin even more pale than usual. "You mean he..."

The blue-haired teen couldn't help being amused at his companion's discontent. With a grin, he nodded, and made a slicing motion across his neck.

The pinkette covered her mouth with her hands, and hurried into the next room, thankful to find an open window, where she promptly emptied the contents of her stomach onto the lawn below. Once finished, Yui turned around, speaking in a weak voice to her momentarily ex-friend. "You really _are_ a jerk."

Hinata put a hard on her shoulder, helping to steady her as she regained her composure. "I was just messing with you."

"Jerk."

"How was I supposed to know you were going to throw up?"

Letting herself lean against her friend, Yui wiped the tears from her eyes. The nausea had not subsided, as it should have, and she had suddenly developed a very painful headache. "If the rest of the story is like that, I don't want to hear anymore of it."

"It's not." Just then, a shadow, and an acute drop in temperature caught Hinata's attention. He ushered Yui out of the room, ignoring the possibility of capturing the voice of the entity on his digital recorder. Instead, he focused on the now recovering Yui. "You okay?"

She nodded. "I think so."

"Tell me what happened."

She shook her head. "I don't know. It wasn't the story, I just...out of nowhere I felt sick to my stomach, and after I threw up, my head started to hurt – like an instant migraine, except a million times worse."

Hinata sighed inwardly. He was beginning to feel guilty for exposing the girl to such things without having her properly trained first. "I'm sorry. Let's forget about the investigation for now, and go home."

Yui straightened, and dusted herself off. " _Not_ happening." She started walking, temporarily leaving a stunned Hinata behind.

He quickly closed the gap between himself, and the pinkette. "After what just happened? Yui-"

"Don't do that to me, Hideki. Don't treat me like I'm different – like I'm weak and fragile just because I get sick easier than most people."

He could see the determination in her eyes, but even so, her safety was more important to him at that point than her desire to feel normal. "We can come back another time."

She paused in step, and turned to look him in the eyes. "I can do this."

"Are you sure?"

Yui rolled her eyes, and groaned dramatically. " _Yes_ , I'm sure! And I also want you to tell me the rest of that story."

Hinata raised an eyebrow. _"Are you_ _ **sure**_ _?"_

She shot him a noncommittal glare. "Don't make me hurt you."

Relieved to see the tenacious pinkette back to normal, he scoffed. "Yeah, because that will totally happen in this lifetime." When her only response was an exaggerated huff, Hinata resumed telling the story. "Okay so, according to the news reports, the husband was immediately horrified by what he'd just done, so he went back into the house, shot the little girl, and then himself."

"How awful..."

"Yeah. We think they're still here."

"Really... So what about the next owners?"

"For several years, the house sat vacant, and was eventually put up for auction. Oddly enough, it was like history was already repeating itself. Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka were about the same age as the first owners, except that _they_ had a little boy."

Yui frowned. "Don't tell me the same thing happened to them, too."

Hinata shook his head."No, but they started having problems almost right away. Their little boy began talking to, well, no one as far as his parents knew, so they just figured he had an imaginary friend, and went on about life as usual. But strange things started happening, and Mr. Tanaka started having nightmares about his own death."

"Why didn't he go see a psychiatrist..or psychologist, or whatever?"

The blue-haired teen stopped at another room to snap some more pictures before answering. "Nothing helped. The nightmares got so bad that he decided to take an extended leave from his job, and that's when he began building the panic room."

Yui nodded. "Ah, _now_ I get it."

"Mrs. Tanaka was relieved at first, thinking some time away from work would do him some good. Eventually though, she found out he he'd spent all of their money on the panic room, including their son's college fund, so she packed as much as she could for herself, and her son, and left."

"Good for her, I guess. What happened to him?"

Hinata shrugged. "No one knows. She tried contacting him. She even came back here, worried something might have happened to him. It's like he just vanished."

Yui considered this for a moment. "People don't just _vanish_. And when they _do_ , it's usually because they're living a double life, and are close to being found out."

Hinata waved a hand dismissively. "The chances of Mr. Tanaka being _here_ are much higher."

Yui raised an eyebrow, and tilted her head, shrugging. "Well, lets find him then."

* * *

Several rooms, recordings, and pictures later, the two had little to show for their efforts, save for the occasional orb, and unexplained noise. Nearly finished with the investigation, Hinata and Yui stopped for a momentary rest.

Leaning against a dust-covered end table, Yui yawned. "Man, my feet are _killing_ me."

"Yeah, we should heard back so we can get home, and go to bed for a few hours. I can't afford to be tired at practice tomorrow."

As they turned to leave, Yui absentmindedly brushed her hand across the pleated lampshade of a floor lamp, causing it to swivel.

To the amateur investigators' astonishment, the floor began to tremble, and a panel in the wall slid open, revealing a staircase.

Yui blinked, and, gestured toward the lamp. "Scooby Doo 101. I bet you feel pretty silly right now."

"And I guess you have a masters in hidden passages, and how to trigger them."

As the teenage spirit hunters descended the staircase, the already dim light quickly faded, and the air became increasingly heavy.

The closer they got to what was surely their ultimate goal, Yui started feeling ill once again. "It feels really bad down here. I think I'm going to be sick."

Hinata nodded, and activated the flashlight app on his phone. "I know. I don't like it either." He failed to inform her that something had made its presence known to him by way of a horrific, yet fleeting vision, right around the same time she commented on not feeling well.

Finally, the staircase ended at a partially open, and very large, steel door. The pair stopped just short of the threshold, and despite their intense feelings of dread, and unannounced fear, they peered inside.

The room was just big enough for a small group of people, and was furnished rather comfortably, complete with a kitchenette, rations, and several non-functioning closed-circuit video monitors.

Yui looked around the space, trying her best to maintain a brave facade. She nearly jumped out of her skin, however, at the sound of three distinct taps on a nearby wall. "What-"

"Holy shit!" Visibly shaken, and his mental wall broken, Hinata turned sharply in the direction of the noise. "This isn't happening..." His racing thoughts were quickly interrupted by another, possibly even more terrifying sound – the sound of the heavy steel door slamming behind them.

 


	5. Seizure

Leaning against her silent, ever vigilant sentinel Yuri rested, attempting to recover from her very near death experience. Since that tragically fateful eve five years ago, however, the rejuvenating solace of sleep had been like the brass ring on a ghoulish and twisted carousel; fleeting, and always out of reach.  

Her petite form shifted as the nightmare began manifesting in her mind's eye yet again, the long sleeves of her costume concealing stark reminders of constant torment and guilt.   

* * *

_It was an evening like any other, the summer sun casting a coral-hued glow across the sky as it descended slowly toward the horizon. The school year having ended only a few weeks prior, twelve-year-old Yuri Nakamura was engaging in her favorite activity; playing with her three younger siblings in the front yard of their new home. It was an older, spacious dwelling set just off of a sparsely traveled road, the surrounding landscape giving refuge to all manner of wildlife. It was the perfect setting, safe and beautiful, with a host of places to play hide-and-seek._

_Until it wasn't._

_Suddenly, an inexplicable sense of dread fell over the green-eyed girl after gently informing the trio it was time to gather their toys and head inside. She glanced sideways as a shadow darted quickly in and out of her peripheral vision. Cringing inwardly, she turned just in time to find her five-year-old brother chasing the ball they had been playing with earlier into the road. Running after the little boy, she watched as he stumbled, fell hard on one knee and began to cry. Panicked, Yuri reached the youngster and began soothing him while coaxing the boy to his feet. As they stood, Yuri l looked up to find an unearthly, solid black mass in human form towering over them. Clasping the boy's hand tightly, she stared up at the entity frozen in fear, an unheard scream catching in her throat._

===

_Several hours later, the smell of disinfectant and the steady beeping of a heart monitor slowly infiltrated her unconscious state. Straining against the harsh, white glow of the overhead florescent lights, Yuri opened her eyes, her head screaming in protest._

_Woozy, and disoriented from the pain medications and sedative, she carefully raised a hand to her forehead shielding her eyes. It was clear from the bandage  encircling her arm she had been injured, but as to how, she had little recollection._

_Just then, the soft clicking of her room door opening and closing caught the tween's attention. Turning her head, the girl looked over to see her father._

_He smiled wearily, pulled a chair up to her bedside, and  sat down. "How are you feeling?"_

_"Not great. Where's Mom?"_

_He looked away for an instant. "She...she went outside for some fresh air. You know how she feels about hospitals. Do you remember what happened?"_

_Yuri pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "Hiro ran into the street, and I went to get him...and now I'm here."_

_Her father sighed and folded his hands together. Breaking the news was not going to be easy._

_===_

Noda watched as Yuri stirred, tempted to wipe away the tears she had begun shredding during her unconscious ordeal. He wasn't sure when or where, but he had heard that waking someone from a nightmare was thought to be unsafe,  although the thought of letting that person suffer needlessly seemed beyond ridiculous, if not cruel. He had known for some time about Yuri's nightmares, but only Hinata, her second in command, knew of their origin.

In short order, the normally spirited, and always headstrong girl opened her eyes, absently wiping them with the back of her hand, then turned to her purple-haired companion. "Any sign of Hinata and Yui?"

Noda shook his head. "No, and I don't like how quiet things have gotten since the storm passed. It's creepy."

Yuri stood and dusted herself off. "Suggestions?"

"I say we call one of the other teams."

Yuri bit her bottom lip and considered this  briefly. "If it weren't so late I'd agree, but as it stands,  it'd be daybreak by the time they'd get here." She waved a hand casually. "And just between you and me, the others aren't experienced enough to go in unsupervised."

Noda glanced back toward the mansion's front door and back at Yuri. "And those morons  _are_ ?"

Yuri nodded with absolute certainty. "Yep, they're both more than qualified, trust me."

"I don't suppose you'd mind telling me why you're so sure about that."

Yuri shrugged. "I'll consider it, but right now we have more important-" She froze as the image of her beloved baby brother appeared only a few feet away, flickered, and then faded

Noda watched as she paled and stared silently into the darkness. "You saw something, didn't you?"

Yuri blinked and shook her head, his voice breaking her state of discomfit. "I..I don't know what it was, but it definitely wasn't Hiiro." Her hands clenched at her sides as anger, and steely determination replaced confusion, and shock. "Damn it!" Turning sharply on her heel she stepped off the porch and headed around the side of the house toward the back of the property.  

Temporarily stunned by the magenta -haired girl's abrupt departure, Noda quickly followed. "Yurippe! Where are you going?! Who's Hiro?!"

"I'm going to get Hinata and Yui."

When he was finally close enough, Noda reached out and grabbed Yuri's arm stopping her in mid-step causing her to stumble slightly. "Are you crazy? That thing almost killed you. What makes you think it won't try again?"

She turned her expression stern and her voice authoritative. "As team leader and founder of this organization, I hereby order you to stand down _immediately_."

Having little recourse, the purple-haired teen begrudgingly released her arm from his grasp.

Yuri's ardent gaze lingered for an instant before she turned back toward the path. Just then, a mist appeared several feet in front of the pair. She blinked, the image of the woman in black forming in her mind.  

Yuri placed her hands on her hips and addressed the mist. "I'm really not in the mood to play games, so if you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, get lost."

A faint, weak voice echoed in her ears.  _'Trapped..'_

Yuri drew in a deep breath, steadying herself as a strong feeling of weakness washed over her body. Instinctively, she knew that the weakness was not her own, but rather the woman's. It was as if her very essence was being drained.  

There was a pause, and then another image: that of the third floor living room, and the open panel. Yuri nodded, closed her eyes briefly, and exhaled. "Yes, I understand now. Thank you." Glancing at her companion, Yuri motioned for him to follow before continuing down the path at a brisk pace.

* * *

Minutes later, the pair found themselves in the third floor living room. The scene was exactly as the displaced spirit had indicated. Yuri pulled out her cell phone activating its flashlight app, and began descending into the pitch blackness with Noda close behind. In short order, they reached the bottom, and the closed steel door. She sighed and shook her head. "Damn. I knew this was too easy." Stepping back against the wall, Yuri regarded her partner. "Well, have at it, strong man."

His weapon was strong, and finely honed, but even Noda wasn't sure he could break down a solid steel door. Still, he had to try. Luckily, time had taken its toll, and with one well-placed swing, the door collapsed, falling inward with a loud groan, and landing merely inches from the now free Hinata and Yui.

Hinata shot Yuri a pointed glare. "Took you long enough."

Yui huffed and crossed her arms. "No kidding. How long were you planning on leaving us down here, anyway?"

She ignored them, pushing past the pair into the room. Centering herself, Yuri focused on locating the spirit of Mr. Tanaka, but was met with only silence. Unsatisfied, she retrieved a small recorder from a pocket sewn into the interior of her costume’s cape and turned it on. "Mr. Tanaka? Are you here?" After letting the device record for several seconds, the green-eyed girl pressed the rewind button, and hit play.   Her blood ran cold, and the others gasped as the silence on the tape was suddenly broken by a deep, guttural snarl.   

Hinata absentmindedly took Yui's hand. "I don't think that was Mr. Tanaka.  I'm not even sure that was  _human_ ."

Yuri exhaled exasperatedly and rolled her eyes, pushing her fear back into the recesses of her mind. "Thanks for clearing that up, Captain Obvious."

===

The four friends ventured back upstairs, and out of the house, unsure of what they had just encountered. More than ever, each one was ready to get back to their normal lives unaware that in the hours to come, they would learn that 'normal' was a very relative term.


End file.
